Article carrying case



March 14, 1967 B. T. MORG AN ETAL 3,308,983

ARTICLE CARRYING CASE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed 001;. 6, 1964 INVENTORS B. T. MORGAN BY R4W. MATTHEWS Wr' ATTORNEYS Mamh 1967 13.1. MORGAN ETAL 3,308,983

ARTICLE CARRYING CASE Filed Oct. 6, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS B. T MORGAN ATTOR United States Patent 3,303,983 ARTICLE CARRYING CASE Bill T. Morgan and Robert W. Matthews, Bartlesville,

Okla, assignors to Phillips Petroleum Company, a corporation of Delaware Filed Get. 6, 1964, Ser. No. 401,861 6 Claims. (Cl. 220-21) This invention relates to article carrying cases. In one aspect, it relates to a one-piece, light-weight, molded carrying case which has an open top adapted to pass an article therethrough, said carrying case being free from partitions and having reinforced sides at the top portion thereof. In another aspect, it relates to an article carrying case having four sides, a channel in at least one side adapted to have a portion thereof cut out to allow the carrying case to be gripped. In a still further aspect, the reinforcement for the sides consists of a downwardly and inwardly extending flange and meets the top portion of that portion of the channel member which is adapted to be cut out to facilitate gripping of the carrying case. In another aspect, the invention relates to a carrying case with a bottom, the inner side thereof containing raised portions around the periphery for positioning articles to be placed therein. In a more specific aspect, the outer side of the bottom contains indented portions adapted to receive the tops of articles placed in a similar carrying case when filled carrying cases are in stacked position. In another aspect, the invention relates to a carrying case in which the bottom portion thereof contains a beveled edge so that the carrying cases can be stacked in nesting arrangement when they are empty. In a still further aspect, the bottom of the carrying case on the underside thereof contains thin ridges or raised elements which increase the resistance of the case to slide and thus prevent undesirable slipping of the carrying cases.

Articles carriers such as bottle carriers are generally made of wood or metal. These carrying cases are strong but heavy and expensive. It has been proposed to make these carrying cases out of plastic material which is lighter but does not have suflicient strength for a carrying case designed like those made out of wood or metal. Further, in using a light plastic, such as polyethylene, which has self-lubricating properties, difficulties have been encountered in adapting these cases to a mechanized operation. For example, it has been found that these light thermoplastic cases slip when being carried up an incline on a conveyor belt.

According to the invention, it has been discovered that a lightweight carrying case can be inexpensively made from a light-weight thermoplastic material by providing a six-sided rectangular shell with an open top, having reinforced sides around the top portions thereof. Such a reinforcement can be integrally molded with the case body and can be shaped so that it will functionally operate with the other portions of the case to facilitate handling, stacking, and shipping. Further, it has been found that, by integrally molding thin ridges on the underside of the bottom of the cases, slipping of the empty cases on inclined conveyor belts is prevented.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to produce a light-weight molded article carrying case. It is a further object of this invention to provide a strong, onepiece molded carrying case adapted to be .stacked in filled or empty conditions. It is a further object of this invention to produce a light-weight carrier which can be transported up an inclined conveyor belt without slipping.

Other aspects, objects and the several advantages of this invention are apparent from a study of this disclosure, the drawings and the appended claims.

According to the invention, there is provided a molded one-piece article carrying case which has an open top, reinforced sides at the top portion thereof, an indented channel in at least one of the sides, said channel adapted to have a portion thereof removed so that said carrying case can be easily gripped, raised portions on the upper side of the bottom around the periphery thereof to provide a means for tilting inwardly the articles to be carried. On the underside of the bottom of said carrying case, there are provided indentations which position articles in a similar carrying case when carrying cases are filled and stacked. There are also provided, according to the invention, thin ridges which give the carrying case a greater resistance to lateral sliding. Further, there is provided a beveled bottom edge which allows the carrying cases to be stacked and nested while in the unfilled condition.

The invention can be better understood by reference to the drawings which show a preferred embodiment of the invention. FIGURE 1 shows a plan or top view of the carrying case. FIGURE 2 shows a cross-section through line IIII of FIGURE 1. FIGURE 3 shows a bottom view of the carrying case. FIGURE 4 is a side elevation of the carrying case shown in FIGURE 1.

Referring now to the drawings, the shell is generally designated by 1. A downwardly and inwardly extending reinforcing flange 2 extends down into the inside of the carrier and meets the upper portion of indented channel 5. As shown in the drawing, the flange forms a horizontal surface below the level of the top of the carrier. This flange can slope or can be flat and rectangular as shown in the drawing. It may be desirable to strengthen the flange in other areas by providing an integrally molded surface which extends from the lower end of the flange to the side of the carrier. The corners could be onearea in which the flange could be reinforced. Preferably the joint will be fused so that a smooth firm handle will be formed to that point. An area 6 of channel 5 can be cut from the channel to facilitate gripping. The area is preferably cut from the top of the channel so that a firm thick handle is formed. Raised portions 4 on the bottom of the carrier are provided tosupport each article placed within the carrier and to provide a space for positioning article tops below the carrier when the carrier is stacked with other similar filled carriers. For example, if the carrier were used to carry bottles, the top of a bottle would rest in the indented portion 4 of the underside of the carrier. In the embodiment shown, the shape of the raised portions 4 can be important. If the carrier is to be used interchangeably and simultaneously with other types of containers, the raised portions must be so designed as to fit the tops of bottles which are arranged in different kinds of carriers. In different carriers, the bottles can be arranged in different fashion so that they will give a slightly dilferent configuration. This sequence of shapes,

as shown in FIGURE 3, takes into account other types of carriers. Small raised areas or tilting pads 3 are provided on the upper side around the periphery of the bottom to tilt the articles inwardly. The tilting pads 3 are raised higher than raised areas 4 and provide a means for tilting the articles inwardly so that one filled case may be stacked on top of another. Ridges 8 and 9 are provided to increase the resistance of the case to sliding. These ridges provide the carrying case with a means by which the cases can be gripped by conveyor belts so that they can be conveyed on inclined planes in mechanized operations. The ridges may be bars as represented by 8 or may be chevron shaped as represented by 9. The ridges need not be restricted to the shapes shown, although the ones shown are preferred. They could be circular, square or X shaped, and placed in any configuration on the bottom of the carrier. The only requirement Patented Mar. 14, 1967' 3 is that the ridges be thin and occupy a relatively small portion of the total bottom area.

The bottom corners 7 are beveled to allow the empty cases to be nested when not in use. These corners can extend inward as far as desirable. In some instances, the corners can extend inward as far a the flange in the upper part of the sides or to a point at which the corners 7 will be flush with the articles carried therein.

Drain holes 12 are provided to allow water to drain from the carrying cases in the event, that ice is packed around the articles to be carried. The drain holes also facilitate cleaning.

The carrying cases can be made from moldable polymers, such as, synthetic thermoplastic material including polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene and the like. The preferred material is high density polythylene, such as that produced by a method dis-closed and claimed in Patent 2,825,721, issuedv Mar. 4, 1958,, to Messrs. Hogan and Banks.

The carriers of the invention can be made by a number of processes, including differential pressure molding. The preferred method of making the carrier is to blow molda hollow object in the general shape desired, and then cut out the necessary portions, such as the top, the channel portions and the drain holes.

Reasonable variation and modification are possible within the scope of this disclosure, the drawings and the appended claims to the invention, the essence of which is that there is provided an article carrying case which has an open top, a bottom and four sides, the sides being reinforced around the top portion thereof by downwardly and inwardly flanges, at least one side having an indented channel adapted to have a portion thereof, cut

out to facilitate gripping of the carrier, the bottom thereof having tilting pads to position articles in the carrying case to facilitate stacking, the underside of the bottom containing indented portions to position the tops of articles when the filled carriers are in stacked relationship and raised thin ridges to provide the bottom with a high resistance to sliding, and the bottom having beveled,

corner so that empty carriers can be stacked in nesting configuration.

We claim:

1. A one-piece molded shell having (a), an open top,

(b) four sides, at least one side having an indented channel portion extending vertically from the bottom thereof,

(c) a portion of the inner part of said channel adapted to be cut out in the upper portion thereof to facilitate gripping of said shell,

(d) a downwardly and inwardly extending flange providing reinforcement for said shell sides at the top portion thereof, and

(e) a bottom, ,havingsindented areas on the underside thereof to receive the tops of articles when shell containers are in stacked position, and having raised thin ridges to increase the sliding resistance of said shell bottoms.

2. A one-piece molded shell according claim 1 wherein said downwardly and inwardly extending flange extends, to and joins the top portion of said shell channel.

3. A hollow hexahedral-shaped shell comprising (a) an open top,

(b) a downwardly and inwardly extending flange pro- 4. viding reinforcement for the sidesat the top portion thereof, (0). abottom having (1) on the upper side raised tilting pads on the outer edge thereof to tilt articles inwardly, and (2) on the underside indented areas to receive the topsv of articles when filled containers are in stacked position, and raised thin ridgesto in,- crease the sliding resistance of said shell bottoms, and (d) beveled corners so that said shell can be stacked in nested arrangement when empty. 4. A one-piece molded shell consisting of (a) an open top adapted to passat least onearticle therethrough, (b) four sides, at least one side having an indented channel portion extending vertically from the bot-.

tom, (c) a portion of the inner part of said channel adapted to be cut out in the upper portion thereof to facilitate.

gripping of said shell, and (d) a downwardly and inwardly extending flange providing reinforcement for said sides at the top portion thereof, said flange extending to and joining the top portion of said channel. 5. A hollow hexahedral-shaped shell comprising (a) an open top, (b) abottom having (I) raised tilting pads onthe upper side and outer edge adapted to tilt articles inwardly, (2) indented areas on the underside .to receive the tops of article when filled shells are in stacked relationship, raised thin ridges on the underside thereof adapted to increase the sliding resistance of said shell bottoms, and

(c) beveled corners around the bottom of said shell to engage articles in said shell and so that said shell can be: stacked in nested arrangement-when empty.

6. A one-piece moldedhollow hexahedral-shaped shell consisting of (a) an open top,

(b) four sides, at least one side having an indented channel portion extending vertically ,from the bottom thereof adapted to have a portion ofthe inner part of said channel cut out inthe upper portion thereof tofacilitate gripping of said shell,

(0) a downwardly and inwardly extending flange providing reinforcement for said fourv sidesat the top portion thereof, said flange extending downwardly to and joining the top portion of said channel, (d) a bottom having (I) raised tilted pads on the upper side and outer edge to tiltarticles inwardly,

(2) indented areas on the underside to receive the tops of articles when filled shells are in. stacked relationship, raised thin ridges on theunderside thereof to increase the sliding resistance of said shell bottom, and

(e) beveled corners around the bottom of-saidshell so that the shell can 'bestacked in nested arrangement when empty.

No references cited- THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

G. T. HALL, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A ONE-PIECE MOLDED SHELL HAVING (A) AN OPEN TOP, (B) FOUR SIDES, AT LEAST ONE SIDE HAVING AN INDENTED CHANNEL PORTION EXTENDING VERTICALLY FROM THE BOTTOM THEREOF, (C) A PORTION OF THE INNER PART OF SAID CHANNEL ADAPTED TO BE CUT OUT IN THE UPPER PORTION THEREOF TO FACILITATE GRIPPING OF SAID SHELL, (D) A DOWNWARDLY AND INWARDLY EXTENDING FLANGE PROVIDING REINFORCEMENT FOR SAID SHELL SIDES AT THE TOP PORTION THEREOF, AND (E) A BOTTOM, HAVING INDENTED AREAS ON THE UNDERSIDE THEREOF TO RECEIVE THE TOPS OF ARTICLES WHEN SHELL CONTAINERS ARE IN STACKED POSITION, AND HAVING RAISED THIN RIDGES TO INCREASE THE SLIDING RESISTANCE OF SAID SHELL BOTTOMS. 